A Regal Halloween
by kirauza343
Summary: It's Halloween time in this sequel to A Golden Christmas and Regina thinks it's the perfect time for a ball! The theme? Fairytale Characters. The twist? You can't come as yourself. Will contain plenty of fluff! Pairings include Rumbelle, Snowing, Swan Thief, Captain Queen, and possibly a few others.
1. Propositions

**The Charming family is back for Halloween! This is the sequel to A Golden Christmas, so any newcomers might want to take a look at the first two parts. If you decide not to, I don't think you'll be completely lost. To previous readers, I know this is a pretty big time skip, but I do have a plan for the events in between, just not until after this story. Pairings will include Rumbelle, Snowing, Swan Thief, Captain Queen, and possibly a few others. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Two weeks before Halloween

A phone started ringing in Charming household. Mary Margaret answered it as quickly as possible, hoping to silence the noise before little Ruth woke. "Hello?" Mary Margaret answered, listening for Ruth and breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't hear her crying.

"Hello Mary Margaret," the caller replied. Mary Margaret identified the caller immediately.

"Regina! How can I help you?" Mary Margaret asked, a smile forming on her face.

"It's been awhile since the family got together, so I decided I want to host a Halloween party. Well, more like a ball. And I was thinking about inviting the whole town," Regina admitted, and Mary Margaret could detect a hint of nervousness is her stepmother's voice.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. Do you have a particular theme in mind?" Mary Margaret asked, intrigued by the prospect of a ball.

"Fairytales," Regina answered immediately.

"And what's the catch?" Mary Margaret asked, smirking even though she knew Regina couldn't see her. Regina laughed.

"You can't come as yourself," Regina said. "After all, who would Emma and Neal dress up as if we didn't? Plus, I doubt Belle can fit into her Enchanted Forest clothes," she explained, leaving the most important part unsaid: she wanted a chance to be someone besides the Evil Queen. Mary Margaret thought it over.

"I think it's a great idea! Where are you going to hold it?" she asked.

"Town hall," Regina said.

"You know, it's been a long time since I've been to a ball," Mary Margaret mused.

"That's one of the reasons I want to do it," Regina admitted.

"Well, I think it's a wonderful idea. Have you talked to Gold and Belle yet? They're the ones with most of the clothes from our world. They might be able to set up a system for getting costumes," Mary Margaret said.

"No I haven't, but I definitely will," Regina said, thinking that Mary Margaret had a pretty good idea. "I trust you can spread the word? Well, after I see if Gold and Belle don't mind helping out with costumes," Regina said. She knew her stepdaughter was best friends with the town gossip and could get news around if she needed to.

"Give me a call once you get the OK from them and I'll take care of the rest," Mary Margaret said, excitement evident in her voice.

"Thank you. How's Ruth doing?" Regina asked.

"She's doing wonderful! I just put her to sleep when you called," Mary Margaret said. Regina smiled, remembering how she felt those first few months of raising Henry.

"Well, I'll leave you in peace," she said.

"It's been nice talking with you. Good luck with Belle and Gold!" Mary Margaret said.

"Thank you, I'll call you later. Good day, Mary Margaret," Regina said, ending her call.

"How'd it go?" a voice asked from behind her. Regina smiled.

"She thinks it's a wonderful idea," she said, kissing the pirate. "But I do need to make a few more calls, and I can't do that if you're distracting me," Regina teased. Hook gave her a 'shocked' look.

"I do believe that one was your fault, love," Hook pointed out, causing Regina to laugh.

"I suppose you're right. I do have a few more calls to make though," Regina said, and the pirate reluctantly gave her some space. With a smile Regina placed a hand to the heart-shaped necklace she wore as she dialed the Gold residence. The phone rang several times before someone picked up.

"Hello?" a female voice asked, and it was apparent that she was out of breath. Regina laughed.

"Hello Belle, it's Regina. Am I interrupting something?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Regina knew the girl on the other end was flushing without seeing her.

"N-n-n-no, not at all," Belle stammered.

"I need to talk to you and your husband about something-" Regina started.

"Hold on, I'll put you on speakerphone," Belle said, knowing it would be easier for both of them to hear her request at the same time. "All right," she said.

"Hello dearie," a Scottish voice said.

"Belle, Gold, you know that Halloween is coming up soon, yes?" Regina asked.

"Yes," Belle said.

"Well, I want to host a party. A ball, to be precise, with everyone dressed up as a fairytale character that isn't themselves. Seeing as how you two are in possession of most of the clothing that came over from our world, Mary Margaret believed you two would be able to assist everyone in finding an outfit," Regina explained. There was silence on the other line as Belle mentally began to form a plan. Belle looked to her husband to see his reaction and Gold nodded.

"That sounds like fun. Rum and I will take care of costumes, but do you think you bring over the dresses you have? I have a feeling we're going to need everything we can get," Belle said. Regina breathed a sigh of relief.

"So you'll do it?" Regina asked.

"Of course. I think it's a great idea. You said no one could be dressed as themselves yes?" Belle asked, wanting to be sure.

"You have to dress up as someone else," Regina said. She could hear Belle giggle on the other end. "I take it you know who you wish to dress up as?" Regina asked with a smirk.

"Something like that," Belle said wryly. On their end Gold raised an eyebrow. Regina laughed.

"All right. Well, I believe I'll see you soon. When do you think you two will have costumes set up?" Regina asked.

"It may take a few days," Gold said, thinking about how many garments were stashed in his shop.

"What if I get Henry or Emma to help? Their magic might make things easier on you two," Regina suggested.

"Send Henry over if you can. I'm sure Emma's already stressed out with the wedding coming up. Has she found a dress yet?" Belle asked.

"I'm not sure," Regina said.

"I'm sure she'll find something. Well, we better get started on the costumes. We need to be ready by the time word spreads and people start looking for clothes," Belle said.

"Good luck," Regina said smiling as the phone went dead. She immediately called Mary Margaret who picked up right away.

"So?" Mary Margaret asked.

"They agreed to take care of the costumes," Regina said smiling.

"Wonderful! I'll call Ruby. The whole town should know by tonight," Mary Margaret said.

"Thank you. I'll see you later," Regina said, hanging up and dialing the Cassidy residence.

"Hello?" a boyish voice answered.

"Hello Henry," Regina said with a smile, glad to get her adopted son on the line.

"Hey mom, what's up?" Henry asked perkily.

"Belle and Gold need some help down at the pawnshop and I thought you might want to help them," Regina said.

"Are they OK?" Henry asked, concern showing in his voice. Regina chuckled.

"They're fine. I'm hosting a Halloween ball and the two of them are going to help everyone find an outfit," Regina explained.

"So that's what they need help with?" Henry asked.

"Yes. They have a lot of costumes, but between Gold's limp and Belle's pregnancy it will take them a while to get everything set up alone," Regina said.

"I'd love to help! When's Belle due anyway?" Henry asked.

"New Year's day. Now, why don't you ask Emma about helping them? I'll pick you up," Regina said. There was silence for a minute.

"She said yes," Henry said grinning.

"Perfect. I'll be there in a few minutes," Regina," said smiling. She hung the phone up and heard a chuckle behind her.

"You seem excited about this ball," Hook noted.

"I am," Regina admitted. "I haven't been to a ball in a long time, plus it will be nice to convince the rest of the town that I've changed," she added. It had been about a year since Regina decided to redeem herself, but the townspeople still found it hard to accept her. She hoped the ball would change all of that.

"If they can't see how much you've changed then they're all blind," Hook said chuckling. The woman in front of him was almost nothing like the Evil Queen who sent him to Wonderland to kill her mother. Regina smiled.

"Why thank you," she said.

"You need to take the lad to the pawnshop yes?" Hook asked to which Regina nodded. "I'll come with you then. Come on, love," he said smiling. Regina chuckled as she and Hook made their way to her car. Regina magicked her dresses into the trunk while driving to Neal's house. When they arrived, Henry jumped up from the porch and made his way to the backseat of Regina's car.

"Have fun!" Emma called before Henry left. Henry grinned and Regina took off.

"So, everyone's going to get dressed up for this ball?" Henry asked.

"Yes. Everyone will come dressed as a fairytale character besides themselves," Regina explained.

"So who are you and Killian going as?" he asked, and Regina chuckled.

"I'm not sure yet," she admitted.

"Well, I think it's a pretty cool idea. And we're using actual costumes from the Enchanted Forest?" Henry asked.

"That's the idea," Hook said smiling. Henry grinned.

"This will be way better than trick-or-treating!"

**Coming up next the town starts shopping for Halloween costumes! Who will dress up as who? I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**


	2. Shopping Fever

**Hello again! First off, you guys are amazing as usual! Thank you for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites already! I really enjoy reading your reviews, and I've seen some great ideas for who everyone should dress up as, plus a few people have correctly guessed a few of the ones I've already decided on. So, as a little treat, you get this chapter early. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Well, I think that's everything," Gold said, looking around at what used to be his pawnshop. Every article of clothing from the Enchanted Forest now hung on racks throughout the store. "Thanks for all your help, lad," he said with a smile to Henry.

"No problem, it was fun," Henry said grinning. Belle giggled from behind the counter.

"Looks like we'll be opening on time after all," she said smiling. A line of people was already beginning to form outside the shop. "Is everyone clear on the plan?" Belle asked, wanting to double check before the chaos began.

"Yeah, they come to you and we make sure they have permission to borrow the outfit they want. If they don't know what they want we'll make suggestions, and then they'll try their outfit on. If they need alterations, that's my job. Once they decide on what they want, they'll check out with you. That's everything right?" Henry asked. Belle nodded.

"Yes, that's everything," Belle said smiling. "You already have your outfit, right?" she asked Henry, who nodded.

"If that's everything, I believe it's time to get to work," Gold said with a nervous chuckle. "Please stay off your feet sweetheart," he added, and Belle giggled, already seated behind the counter.

"I'll be fine," she said, kissing her husband, who put a protective hand around her growing belly. "Let's get to work," Belle said smiling and kissing his nose. Gold opened the door and a stream of customers flowed in.

"Hey mom," Belle heard a voice say as a young man walked up to the counter and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hello Bae," she said smiling. "What can I help you with?" Belle asked.

"We're here looking for costumes of course and thought you might be able to help. Where's papa?" Neal asked, and Emma walked up beside him. Belle looked around for her husband.

"He must be in the back at the moment. So what did you two have in mind?" Belle asked. She knew Henry would want to say hi to his parents, but he was busy helping Archie out at the moment.

"We have no idea," Emma admitted with a laugh. Belle thought for a moment.

"Well, we have just about anything anyone wore from our world, though I don't think that will help you two much," Belle admitted. "Do you have a color or a person in mind?" she asked, meeting no response from either. "You like red don't you?" Belle asked, noticing Emma's red leather jacket she always wore.

"Yes, I do," Emma said.

"All right then, may I show you a suggestion then?" Belle asked with a smile. "Take a look over on that rack, towards the front," she said, pointing it out to the savior. "I think there may be something over there you'll like," Belle said smiling. She turned to her stepson. "Why don't you take a look through our male section and let me know if you see anything you like," she said.

"Thanks," Neal said smiling as he and Emma went to search for costumes. A few people from around town began to check out clothes including Leroy, Archie, Dr. Whale, and Ashley. After a few hours, few people remained in the store.

"Have a nice day!" Belle called out to Granny and Ruby, her most recent customers. It was finally beginning to calm down a bit, and she heard someone come up from behind her.

"Enjoying yourself?" Gold asked smiling. Belle nodded and turned to face him.

"It's been a lot of fun. Chaotic, but fun," she admitted. "Are you all right?" Belle asked, raising an eyebrow when she noticed him favoring his hurt leg more than usual.

"I'm fine," Gold said dismissively, but Belle knew better and stood up.

"I believe you need to sit down," Belle said gently. "And before you try and argue, I'm fine. I need to stretch my legs anyways and I promise to sit down if I feel like I need to," she added before Gold could say anything else. Reluctantly, Gold sat down in the chair.

"Hey papa, I was wondering where you'd gotten off to," Neal said, carrying an outfit in his arms, with Emma following right behind him.

"It's been pretty hectic. How long have you been in here?" Gold asked.

"Since you opened. We had a hard time finding something we liked," Neal admitted.

"Well, let's see what you two came up with," Belle said, taking the garments from Neal and Emma's hands. She looked over them and checked the list she kept of each item. "Looks like everything's good. The owners have no problem with either of you borrowing their clothes, so why don't you head over to Henry to get fitted while I take care of the paperwork?" she suggested.

"All right. Thanks," Emma said as she and Neal headed over to their son. As they left, Regina and Hook approached the counter.

"Hello you two," Belle said smiling. "Have you found anything you wanted yet?" she asked.

"Indeed we have," Regina said smiling, putting their choices on the counter. Belle once again checked her list and grinned.

"Excellent choice, and everything's clear with the previous owners. Henry's working with Emma and Neal to make sure everything fits properly, so you can either wait for him to get finished with them or you can fix yours yourself," Belle said.

"I think I'll stick around. I want to see how Henry's doing," Regina admitted.

"Well, stick around as long as you need to. Once I fill out the paperwork, you'll be free to take your costumes home," Belle said.

"Always a pleasure," Regina said smiling.

"So what are you two planning on wearing?" Hook asked.

"Mine's a secret, and I don't know what Rum's doing," Belle said.

"_I_ don't know what I'm doing," Gold said chuckling.

"It looks like you might want to decide soon before everything gets taken," Regina noted, looking at how empty the store was becoming.

"I'll figure something out," Gold said.

"Hey Regina," Emma said as she Neal returned to the counter. "Nice choice," she added when she saw their choice of costumes.

"Likewise," Regina said smiling.

"Well, everything is in order; you're free to go whenever. Before you do though, I was wondering: have you found a wedding dress yet?" Belle asked. Emma shook her head.

"Nothing's really stood out to me," she admitted.

"Have you looked at your mother's wedding dress? It may be a little extravagant for your tastes, but it's worth a look," Gold said. "It's certainly different from any wedding dress you'll find in this world," he added. Emma thought for a moment.

"I remember seeing a picture of it in Henry's storybook. You actually have it?" Emma asked.

"Of course. It's in the back, let me show you," Gold said standing, leading Emma to the backroom of the shop. Belle took her place in his seat.

"No peaking," Belle warned Neal, who chuckled.

"Yes mom," he joked.

"Hey, are you still open?" a masculine voice asked from behind the crowd.

"Yes, come on in David," Belle said smiling. Mary Margaret followed behind David carrying Ruth who was sound asleep. "She's beautiful," she said when she noticed the baby. Mary Margaret smiled.

"Thank you. Have you and Gold come up with a name for your little girl?" she asked.

"Roslyn," Belle said, almost dreamily, as she looked down to her belly. David smiled and placed their costumes on the counter. "Let's see…everything looks good," she said, getting back to work. Belle didn't even need to check the item numbers on the outfits the two had chosen, and started up the paperwork. "Henry's in charge of making sure everything fits, so you can head right over to him after Regina and Killian get through with him. He's been doing a wonderful job," Belle said smiling.

"Thank you," David said smiling.

"So where's Gold?" Mary Margaret asked.

"In the back with Emma. He wanted to show her your wedding dress," Neal explained. Mary Margaret's face lit up.

"I completely forgot about that dress! She's had a hard time finding a dress but I didn't even think about mine," she said smiling. At that moment, Gold and Emma returned from the back room and a huge smile shown on both of their faces. "You like it?" Mary Margaret asked hopefully.

"I think it's perfect," Emma admitted with a smile, carefully hugging her mother without waking Ruth. Gold smiled.

"So is that everyone for today?" he asked.

"I think so," Henry said, coming over to them.

"You've been a huge help today. Thank you so much," Belle said smiling. She could tell the boy was exhausted and she couldn't blame him; it had been a busy day. "Tell you what. How about we all go get ice cream after Rumple and I close up?" she suggested.

"I think that's a great idea," Regina said smiling.

"Me too," Emma said. Henry's face lit up. David laughed.

"Ice cream it is," he said.

**Hehehe, you didn't really think you'd get to find out everyone's costumes so soon did you? There are still a few people whose costumes I'm still trying to decide so I love hearing your suggestions! Next time, everyone gets ready for the ball!**


	3. Preparations

**Good news! It's almost Sunday, which means it's almost time for Once Upon a Time to finally be back, and with some Rumbelle action no less! So, to celebrate, here's a chapter! As always, thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites; they really make my day!**

* * *

Gold Household

"Are you all right in there sweetheart?" Gold asked, noticing his wife had been in the bathroom for a long time now. He grabbed the black leather jacket from their bed and slipped it on, and walked over to the mirror. Gold chuckled at his appearance, trying to figure out why he let Belle convince him to wear this outfit. The garb in question was all black, including the leather pants.

"I'm fine," Belle said, stepping into the bedroom. She giggled when she got a good look at her husband. "I've really missed the leather pants," she mused, walking over to Gold and wrapping her arms around his neck. "It's a shame we can't get you a hook for tonight, Captain," Belle teased, giving Gold a kiss. Gold couldn't help but laugh when he noticed what she was wearing.

"So that's why you wanted to keep it a secret," he mused, getting a good look at Belle. Like him, she also wore a pair of black leather pants that rested bellow her belly, but rather than a black shirt she wore a red vest over a loose orange shirt. "Well, you certainly wear those better than I ever did," Gold said, causing Belle to giggle.

"I think you wore them just fine in our world and in this one as well," Belle said with a playful smile. She frowned as she looked over Gold. "Something's missing…" Belle said, trying to figure out what. "Of course! The eyeliner!" she said giggling, and Gold laughed.

"Sorry dearie, not happening," he said smirking. Belle swatted him playfully.

"I believe that's my line 'dearie'," she said, mocking the tone he used back in their world, and Gold chuckled.

"I'm terribly sorry, where are my manners, love?" Gold said charmingly, kissing her hand. Gold's behavior reminded Belle of his theatricality in their world, and she hadn't realized how much she missed it until she heard herself giggle. Belle regained her composure and gave a look of mock shock.

"The pirate flirting with the crocodile?" she said, giving her best impression of Rumplestiltskin's laugh. "That's a new one," Belle said smirking. "You will dance with me tonight won't you?" Belle asked, turning the topic to the upcoming ball. Gold smiled.

"Of course I will," he said. Gold had every intention of dancing with his wife, bad leg or not. "And you promise you'll tell me if you need to rest, yes?" Gold asked, just as concerned about Belle as she was about him.

"Yes Captain," Belle said with mock seriousness. "We should get going; we don't want to be late for the ball. I'm certain this will be an incredible night," she said smiling.

"Indeed it shall," Gold said, giving her one final kiss.

* * *

Charming Household

Mary Margaret was putting the finishing touches on her makeup when she heard the doorbell ring. "That must be Marco," she said to herself. Marco had decided not to attend the ball, insisting that he'd rather baby sit Ruth instead. Mary Margaret had a feeling he was doing that to make up for lying about the number of people the wardrobe could send through even though Mary Margaret forgave him for that ages ago. "Hey Marco," she said smiling as she opened the door. Marco's eyes widened.

"I never expected to see you choose that outfit," he admitted, looking at the long black trench coat worn over a pair of black leather pants. The black high heeled boots she wore gave her a few extra inches, and Mary Margaret even wore a long black wig pulled back in a ponytail and dark makeup. "I would have thought you were the Evil Queen if I didn't know what day it was," he confessed, and Mary Margaret smiled.

"Then it's perfect! Thanks again for doing this Marco, it means the world to us," Mary Margaret said, leading Marco into the house. "Ruth's sounds asleep right now in her crib and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to call us," she said.

"Hey Marco," a male voice called from behind him, and Marco's eyes widened even farther. The prince Charming he knew from their world was dressed in all red, looking more like a king than a prince. "King George at your service," David joked, holding out a hand to Marco. He laughed at Marco's shocked expression.

"We both have step/adopted parent issues and thought it would be fun to dress up as them," Mary Margaret explained. "It's been interesting so far," she admitted, not completely comfortable in the leather pants. Marco chuckled.

"Well, have a good time at the ball. I'll take care of Ruth," Marco assured the strange young couple.

"Thank you Marco," Mary Margaret said smiling. She took David's hand and the two left their house.

* * *

Cassidy Household

"I can't believe you two picked the costumes you did. It's like you coordinated," Emma said chuckling as she looked over her fiancé and son. Both wore simple clothes suited for peasants, and Neal carried a walking stick for emphasis.

"He looks just like I did," Neal mused, taking another look at Henry. It felt strange seeing the clothes he wore centuries ago still intact and being worn by his own son. "I don't look quite like my papa, but I know he'll at least know who I am," he said chuckling.

"Don't forget about Hook. He'll recognize us for sure," Henry said matter-of-factly. "You look nice, mom," he added, taking a look his mother's dress. It consisted of a brown vest over a long white blouse and a long red skirt. Gold had managed to find the red cloak that went with it, so Emma wore it, as well as a pair of long red gloves.

"Thank you Henry," Emma said smiling. "Though I have a feeling I'll be the only member of the family not dressed as someone else from the family," she said chuckling.

"I think you look beautiful. Besides, I think it suits you. It's not as girly or elaborate as most of the other gowns we'll see tonight," Neal said.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be mom at all," Henry said grinning.

"All right you two, let's get going," Emma said smiling.

* * *

Mills Household

"You look absolutely beautiful," Regina heard behind her. She smiled as she looked at her refection. Regina wore a light purple gown and a long black wig pulled up in an elaborate bun. "Truly the fairest of them all," Hook said and Regina turned around and kissed him.

"You look pretty Charming yourself," she said smiling. Hook wore a black doublet over a long white shirt with black trousers. He also wore a pair of black gloves, and had no hook in sight. Hook gave a small bow.

"Why thank you, my lady," he said, taking Regina's hand and kissing it, causing Regina to giggle.

"I was wondering. Why did you let Rumple borrow your clothes?" Regina asked. The question had been bothering her for a few weeks now. Hook smiled.

"He had something I wanted so we struck a deal," he said simply, causing Regina to raise an eyebrow.

"You struck a deal with him?" Regina asked, not quite believing her ears.

"A harmless deal," Hook said. Regina chuckled.

"If you say so Charming. Actually, how about Dashing? I'd rather not have David think I'm talking to him all night. He can be rather dense," Regina joked, and Hook laughed.

"And Dashing's the best you can come up with? Come on love, you can do better than that," Hook teased. Regina thought for a moment.

"Actually I like Dashing," she said with a smirk.

"Well, I should 'dash' you off to the ball. It wouldn't do to be late to your own ball now would it?" Hook asked, returning her smirk. Regina laughed.

"I suppose not," Regina admitted, and the next thing they knew they were at town hall. The place was hardly recognizable; Regina had used magic to transform it into a grand hall. Music began to fill the air when the clock struck 8:00, and Regina opened the doors. "And so it begins," she mused.

**In case my descriptions weren't up to par (which is quite possible) here's what everyone's wearing. Belle: Rumplestiltskin's outfit from Skin Deep, the one he wears when he catches her, gives her the rose, etc. Rum: Hook, what he's currently wearing in Storybrooke. Snow: Regina, in her outfit in the Pilot during Snow's wedding. David: King George as seen in the Shepard. Emma: Red Riding Hood. Neal: Rumplestiltskin pre-Dark One. Henry: Baelfire. Regina: Snow White in her purple dress she wears in the Price of Gold. Hook: Prince Charming as seen in Snow falls. I had a few other ideas for some of the outfits, but I didn't want repeats of characters among the family (I'm counting Dark One Rumple and Coward Rumple as two different people). Want to see some more of the outfits? Well, we've got a whole town still to see :)**


	4. Arriving in Style

**Check it out, it's a new chapter! I know it's short, and I wanted to have it up earlier today, but things didn't quite work out. As always, thank you for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites! Enjoy!**

* * *

Guests began to trickle into Town Hall, and it wasn't long before the room was completely filled. Everyone seemed hesitant to dance, not quite sure what to make of the event. Hook offered his hand to Regina and bowed.

"May I have this dance?" he asked charmingly. Regina smiled and took Hook's hand.

"It would be an honor," she said as he led her to the dance floor. They were soon joined by another couple, one that caused Regina and Hook to laugh. Upon hearing the noise, the couple turned to face them and laughed as well. "I remember that outfit. You look just like me," Regina noted.

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said beaming. "You look beautiful," she added, recognizing her dress well.

"You look rather Charming," David joked to Hook, who laughed.

"I prefer Dashing. Can't have people confusing us now can we?" Hook asked, and it was David's turn to laugh. "So who are you supposed to be?" he asked. Hook didn't recognize David's outfit, though that hardly surprised him.

"King George. Long story short he's sort of to me what Regina was to Snow," David explained and Hook chuckled.

"Interesting choice of outfits," a voice behind them noted.

"That's rich coming from you. Would you like to borrow my hook?" Hook suggested with a smirk.

"I would have helped and cut his hand off, but that would have been a bit messy," Belle teased. "You all look absolutely wonderful by the way," she added with a smile.

"Please tell me papa didn't actually wear that in our world," another voice called. Neal looked over everyone and chuckled. "Are those Hook's clothes?" he asked incredulously.

"Yep," Henry said joining them. Emma followed right behind him. Gold and Hook chuckled as they looked over Neal and Henry's costumes.

"Clever," Hook said smiling.

"We didn't plan it," Henry admitted.

"You look wonderful Emma," Mary Margaret said smiling, recognizing her friend's garb.

"Thanks," Emma said smiling.

"I was wondering who would wear my dress," a voice called. A young woman in a beautiful golden gown walked over to them. "It suits you," Ruby said smiling, looking over Emma.

"You look beautiful," Belle said smiling. If anyone had to wear her dress she was glad it was Ruby.

"Why thank you," Ruby said smiling. "Wow, Regina, I almost didn't recognize you. You look amazing. And wow! Snow! You look just like the Evi-Regina," she said, correcting herself.

"So, is the party over here?" a joking voice asked as a blond male joined the group. Ruby giggled while Mary Margaret and David's eyes widened. He wore brown vest over a white shirt and brown pants. "What?" he asked, confused.

"I didn't realize you planned on making a habit of cross dressing," Gold said smirking.

"What are you talking about?" Whale asked, still puzzled.

"That's mine," Mary Margaret admitted and Whale flushed. Ruby busted out laughing.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Whale asked, clearly embarrassed.

"You picked it out so I had no intention of stopping you," Ruby said.

"I can see how he would think that. Snow wore that when we first met and I didn't realize she was a girl until I saw her face," David admitted, though that did little to ease Whale's embarrassment.

"I was wondering where you two went," a timid voice said. Whale turned to face him.

"Did you know about this?" he asked and Archie shook his head, not sure what Whale was talking about.

"That's certainly not an outfit I thought I'd see you in," Regina mused. The former cricket wore all brown, including a brown cravat and hat. "How curious that the psychiatrist is dressed as a mad man," she said smirking.

"I'm hardly mad," a voice protested. The voice belonged to a man dressed in a lab coat. Behind him was a young girl in a pink ball gown.

"Wow Grace, you look really pretty. You look just like a princess," Henry said shyly, causing Grace to blush.

"Th-thank you," Grace stammered. Neal whispered something in Henry's ear.

"Do you want to dance?" Henry asked nervously. Grace nodded.

"I'd love to," she said smiling. The two headed off and started dancing.

"They're precious," Regina said grinning, and the whole group couldn't help but agree.

"Ruby, there you are!" another woman's voice called. She wore a light blue gown and her graying hair was pulled up, making her look ten years younger.

"Hey Granny," Ruby said smiling. "Do you need something?" she asked. Granny looked ready to speak until she got a good look at Whale.

"What on earth are you wearing?" Granny asked, knowing exactly whose outfit that was. Whale flushed from embarrassment again, causing everyone else to chuckle.

"He didn't know it was mine," Mary Margaret explained with a giggle. Granny couldn't help but laugh.

"Well I don't know about you, but since this is a ball I'd like to dance. And since you have two strapping young fellows with you tonight I thought I'd borrow one of them," Granny said to Ruby in a no-nonsense way.

"I would be honored," Archie said smiling, offering an arm to the older woman who accepted.

"Did my Granny just steal one of my dates?" Ruby asked, confused.

"I think so," Belle giggled.

"Well, then I'll just have to dance with my other date," Ruby said smiling, dragging Whale away from the group.

"I like their idea. May I have this dance, love?" Hook asked Regina.

"Of course," Regina said kissing him.

"Snow?" David asked, to which Mary Margaret simply waltzed him to the dance floor.

"Come on Rum," Belle said smiling, leading Gold the dance floor as well. Jefferson, Emma, and Neal were all that remained.

"Are you here without a date?" Emma asked Jefferson.

"My date's dancing with Henry," Jefferson said with a small smile. "Besides, I enjoy just watching. Why don't you two go dance," he suggested. Emma looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know how to dance," she admitted. Jefferson chuckled.

"All right then, what's your excuse?" he asked Neal.

"Uh…" Neal said, running a hand through his hair. He didn't really have an excuse. After being around a few centuries Neal knew the basics of ballroom dancing. "Emma, would you like to dance?" Neal asked, realizing what Jefferson was suggesting.

"I just said I can't dance," Emma pointed out.

"If my parents can do it anyone can," Neal pointed out, gesturing towards his pregnant stepmother and limping father. "Besides, I can teach you," he added. Emma thought for a moment.

"Why not?" she said smiling.

**Yeah, I know, it's short. And yes, I enjoy picking on Whale for no reason. Outfits for the special guests are as follows: Ruby in Belle's gold dress, Whale in Snow White's outfit from Snow Falls, Archie as the Mad Hatter in Hat Trick, Jefferson as Frankenstein in The Doctor, Grace as Snow White in The Queen is Dead, and Granny as Cinderella in her blue dress. The next one should be longer and a bit more romantic. Up next, dancing!**


	5. Let's Dance

**We FINALLY get some Once Upon a Time tonight! So, to hold you over for the next few hours, here's a chapter! It's a pretty long one, and I think it turned out much better than the last one. I know I've been updating a little slower than usual, so I apologize. Thanks again for all the reviews, follows, and favorites, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"I can't dance!" Emma protested once more on the dance floor. Neal was too busy observing the other couples to answer. "Hello?" she said, trying to get his attention.

"Aha," Neal muttered, as if he just realized the answer. "All right, it's really simple. Arm here," he said, placing one of her hands on his shoulder and taking her other hand in his. Neal then placed his hand on her waist. "Now follow my lead," Neal said smiling as they began to dance.

"Since when can you dance?" Emma asked raising an eyebrow. She started focusing and accidently stepped on Neal's foot. "Sorry," she said apologetically.

"I've been alive a while, so I picked up the basics," Neal explained. "Don't think too hard. Just relax, and feel the music," he said chuckling. Emma attempted to relax, but her nerves got the better of her and she stepped on Neal's foot again, this time almost falling in the process. "Careful," Neal said smiling, holding on to Emma so she didn't fall while she regained her balance.

"I thought you said it was easy!" Emma said, eyes wide. She regained her composure and gave Neal a determined look, a look that told Neal she wasn't giving up.

"It is until you start thinking about it. Just feel it, don't think it. It's kinda like magic," Neal said reluctantly. He hated drawing comparisons to magic because he still wasn't overly fond of it, but having been to Emma's magic lessons Neal knew it may be one of the few ways to get ballroom dancing to make sense to his fiancé.

"Well, third time's a charm," Emma said hesitantly. They began to dance again, this time a little more smoothly.

"Relax," Neal warned, noticing Emma tense up a little. "Don't overthink it," he said smiling. Emma visibly relaxed this time. "See? You're dancing," Neal said chuckling. Emma gave a small smile, still not sure how she was. "You're really good for a beginner. Of course, it is in your blood," he said smiling, giving her a little twirl.

"I guess it is," Emma said chuckling, watching her parents effortlessly waltz across the floor. "It's hard to believe that this whole thing-balls, a family, and being royalty-would have been my life if it wasn't for the curse," she mused, unable to picture herself as a fairytale princess.

"I think this world suits you better," Neal said smiling.

"You know, it's really surprising how many people still live here. I would have thought that everyone would have jumped back to the enchanted forest as soon as the magic beans were grown," Emma noted.

"Well, since you wanted to stay here, your parents stayed, and since Snow White and Prince Charming stayed, most of their subjects decided to stay. Since you wanted to stay here, Henry stayed, which is why Regina is here, and since I wanted to stay my parents stayed as well," Neal pointed out.

"So it's our fault," Emma summed up. Neal laughed.

"Pretty much. Mostly yours though," he said smiling.

* * *

"I've really missed this," Mary Margaret admitted with a smile.

"Me too," David said, kissing his wife.

"Emma looks beautiful tonight," Mary Margaret mused. "Like a real princess," she added. To her, it didn't matter what Emma had worn, she still would have looked like a princess.

"Well, she is a real princess," David pointed out, earning a giggle from Mary Margaret.

"We need to start holding more balls here in Storybrooke. I don't care who hosts them," Mary Margaret said.

"I agree. I've missed this too much. It would be nice to have one where you aren't dressed up as Regina," David said chuckling.

"Definitely. I don't know how she managed wear these leather pants! If I realized how uncomfortable these were going to be I would have picked a different outfit of hers," Mary Margaret groaned.

"I like the leather pants on you," David admitted with a smile, and Mary Margaret laughed.

"Of course you do," she said, rolling her eyes playfully. "How do you think Ruth's doing?" Mary Margaret asked, her mind going to their other little girl for the hundredth time this evening.

"I know you're worried about her, but she's fine. Marco will take good care of her," David said, trying to ease his wife's worries. Mary Margaret sighed.

"I just…I just don't want to screw up. We lost twenty eight years with Emma and she grew up without a family. Without us. We never had the chance to be a real mother and father to her, so what if we fail with Ruth too?" Mary Margaret asked, voicing her innermost concerns.

"We didn't fail with Emma, we saved her from the curse and she found us. Emma doesn't think we failed her, so you shouldn't think we did. Besides, Ruth has an amazing mother who is selfless, honest, and good who won't let anything happen to her. This is our happy ending. We won't fail Ruth, just like we didn't fail Emma," David said, cupping his wife's face in his hands. Mary Margaret gave a small smile.

"I sure hope you're right," she said.

"I know I am," David said smiling, and the two resumed their dance.

* * *

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me this was Snow's. And I know you know it belongs to her," Whale said frowning, as he danced with his now giggling partner.

"After Christmas, I don't think anyone's surprised to see you dressed as a girl," Ruby pointed out.

"At least this isn't a dress," Whale said sighing. He shuddered as remembered that evening. "Besides, you cheated at Christmas. You'd already talked to Archie before we made the bet," he pointed out.

"You could have asked Archie. I gave you a week to accept the bet," Ruby pointed out, and Whale had to admit she had a point.

"I know, but Archie really doesn't seem like the kind of guy open to a, well, open relationship," Whale confessed.

"He's full of surprises," Ruby said with a smile, shooting an affectionate glance to Archie who was dancing with Granny. "I have to say though, I'm not surprised that you're fine with it," Ruby said. Whale shrugged.

"Well, I take what I can get," he joked.

"Like my best friend," Ruby said with a playful swat upside the head. Whale laughed.

"We were cursed!" he protested, using the same excuse Mary Margaret often used. Ruby laughed. "Besides, I want to see you happy, and being with both of us seems to make you happy," Whale admitted, showing the more caring side that only Ruby ever saw.

"Thank you," Ruby said smiling. "When I first started seeing you both, I felt so guilty. I had fallen in love with both you, but I couldn't keep lying to either of you. I told Archie about you first and he's the one that actually made the suggestion that we keep our relationship open. He said that he could tell that I'd fallen in love with both of you and that he'd guessed a while back. Like you, Archie wanted me to be happy, and he thought this might be a way to do that," she admitted.

"Well, I've grown to like the arrangement," Whale confessed with a smile. "We both love you and want your happiness," he added.

"And I want yours," Ruby said smiling. She had told her boyfriends ages ago to tell her if they weren't okay with their situation, and neither had ever said a word.

"Well, you have it. I can't speak for Archie, but I know he's just as happy as I am," Whale said smiling.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ruby said grinning.

* * *

"You three certainly are a mystery," Granny mused as she noticed her dance partner glance over towards Whale and Ruby.

"Well, love is a strange thing Ms. Lucas," Archie said with a nervous chuckle. He'd never talked to Granny about his relationship with Ruby and the prospect made him nervous.

"Call me granny, boy, everyone does. You're practically family after all," Granny said with a small smile.

"All right Granny," Archie said tentatively.

"I should have known my Red wouldn't have a normal relationship," Granny chuckling.

"Ruby isn't a normal girl and we aren't normal people," Archie pointed out.

"I suppose you're right. How did you two fall in love anyway? Her and Whale doesn't surprise me, but you and her does," Granny admitted.

"It all started with Pongo. He ran off one day and Ruby helped me find him. Turns out he was meeting another dog," Archie said chuckling. "We'd seen each other often since we all live in the same town, but that was when we started talking. I think she was already sort of seeing Viktor," he admitted.

"And you're all right with her seeing both of you?" Granny asked.

"I'm the one that suggested it," Archie confessed, surprising the older woman. "You look lovely tonight," he said, changing the topic.

"Why thank you. Now, why don't you go dance with Red and send her other date my way," Granny suggested with a smile.

"I think I will," Archie said smiling.

* * *

Jefferson smiled as he watched the various couples dance. He enjoyed trying to figure out what everyone was wearing. He saw Leroy, dressed as Sneezy, dance with Astrid, dressed as Granny, he saw Thomas dressed as Geppetto and Ashley dressed as the Blue Fairy, he saw Mother Superior in one of Regina's dresses, and he saw the rest of the dwarves dressed as each other. Most of all, Jefferson watched Henry and Grace dance. The two looked so happy, so young, so carefree. They were so close he couldn't help but listen in on their conversation.

"This is nice," Henry said smiling. The two danced very tentatively, neither quite used to this sort of thing.

"It is," Grace admitted. "So who are you dressed as?" she asked, not recognizing his clothes.

"My dad. He wore this when he was a few years older than me in our world," Henry explained.

"He must have been pretty small," Grace said giggling. "How can you wear it?" she asked.

"Magic of course. I helped you get into your dress remember?" Henry said, blushing when he realized what he said. "I mean, I helped make sure your dress would fit you," he corrected. Grace laughed.

"I know what you meant," she said smiling, her cheeks a bit flushed as well. "That's your papa right?" Grace asked, gesturing towards Neal.

"Yeah," Henry said grinning.

"Who's he dressed as?" Grace asked.

"His papa, Rumplestiltskin," Henry explained. Grace looked puzzled.

"I didn't think the Dark One wore clothes like that," she said confused.

"Well, he wasn't always the Dark One," Henry said. "You look really pretty," he said, blushing when he realized he already said that earlier. Grace blushed as well.

"Thank you," she said smiling.

Jefferson chuckled. "Young love," he muttered with a smile.

* * *

"You dance well for a man with only one hand," Regina noted with a smile. Hook laughed.

"Well, I've been without a hand for a few centuries. I've learned how to manage," he pointed out with a smile.

"I could fix your hand," Regina pointed out, something she had done before.

"I know you could. But the hook is a part of me. I used to be Captain Hook after all," Hook admitted. This wasn't the first time his hand was brought up.

"If you ever change your mind-"

"I won't, love," Hook said smiling. "I appreciate the sentiment, but it's a part of me, just like my crocodile's limp is a part of him," he said. Regina laughed. "You don't happen to have a romantic balcony around here do you?" Hook asked with a smirk.

"I'm afraid not. We do have a garden out back if that will do the trick," Regina suggested with a smile. Her heart was pounding, and she wasn't sure what Hook had planned. Hook thought for a moment.

"I suppose that will do," he said with a charming smile, letting Regina lead them outside. "It's a beautiful night," Hook mused, looking up at the stars.

"I think 'magical' is the right word," Regina said, giving him a smile.

"Can't argue with you there," Hook said chuckling. "You look beautiful tonight Regina," he said smiling.

"And you look rather Dashing yourself," Regina said giggling.

"How long do you plan on calling me Dashing?" Hook asked, raising an eyebrow.

"All night long. Probably longer," Regina admitted. Hook laughed.

"Well if that's the case," Hook started, digging through his pocket. "Would you, Regina Mills," he continued, pulling out a little black box. "Do me the immense honor of becoming Mrs. Dashing?" Hook asked with a charming smile as he got down on one knee. Regina was caught completely off guard, but excitement and happiness rushed through her veins.

"Yes," Regina said breathlessly, a huge smile on her face. Hook looked relieved as he slipped an elegant golden ring on Regina's finger.

"I love you, Regina," Hook said with a smile as he stood up.

"And I love you, Killian," Regina said, kissing her new fiancé.

* * *

"I think Rose wants you to give me a little space," Belle said giggling as she felt the baby kick. She and her husband danced close enough together for Belle's belly to touch Gold and Gold chuckled.

"Apparently," he mused, feeling the kick as well. "I think she just wants you to herself," Gold joked, and Belle laughed and then winced slightly. "Belle?" Gold asked, concern showing in his voice as he felt how hard the kick was that caused her pain.

"I'm fine. Looks like Rose is going to be a very active little girl," Belle said smiling.

"I doubt we'll be able to keep up with her," Gold said with a small smile.

"Trying to will be half the fun," Belle pointed out and Gold chuckled. "How's your leg holding up?" she asked, noticing him favoring it a little more than usual. The concern in her voice mirrored the concern he just showed.

"I'll manage. Are you enjoying the ball so far?" Gold asked.

"It's been wonderful. I never cared for balls in our world, but this one is different. I'm here with the people I love, and I don't have to dance with every man my father thinks might be a suitable husband," Belle said chuckling.

"Is he still coming over for dinner next week?" Gold asked. Father and daughter were finally beginning to reconcile though they hadn't started until after the wedding, much to Belle's disappointment. Belle nodded.

"Yes. I'm so glad he agreed to come," Belle said smiling. News of her pregnancy was what first began to bridge the gap that had formed between her and father.

"Me too," Gold admitted. He hated seeing Belle miserable, and the distance between her and her father hurt her more than she said.

"What do you think we should fix?" Belle asked, trying to make the evening as perfect as possible.

"'We'?" Gold asked questioningly. "When the two of us try to fix dinner something gets burned," he pointed out.

"We wouldn't burn anything if you wouldn't try to distract me," Belle said smirking. Gold chuckled, and had to admit she was right.

"Maybe I enjoy distracting you," Gold said mischievously. Belle laughed.

"Oh, I know you do," Belle said smirking, giving him a kiss.

"So what do you propose to do about these distractions?" Gold asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Simple, I-" Belle started, before gaining a puzzled look on her face. Confusion changed to shock, then excitement, then nervousness.

"Belle? Sweetheart, are you all right?" Gold asked concerned. The two stopped dancing and Belle placed a hand on her belly.

"My water just broke," Belle stammered, the color gone from her face.

**Dun Dun Dun! Cliffhanger! Did you enjoy seeing people not part of the Charming Clan? Or did you prefer the proposal and cliffhanger? Let me hear it :)**


	6. Baby Drama

**Aaaaaand so many emotions caused by Lacey. Here's another chapter, and it's a bit more serious than some of the others. Enjoy!**

_My water just broke_

It took a moment for Gold to fully comprehend what he just heard. He snapped out of his daze when Belle clutched her belly and winced. "Come on, we need to get you to the hospital," Gold said urgently. _It's too soon_ he thought. Gold gently but quickly led Belle towards the entrance of town hall. Neal noticed and approached the couple.

"Is everything okay?" Neal asked, concerned. He instantly knew something was wrong.

"The baby's coming," Gold said breathlessly. As if on cue, another contraction hit Belle. She clenched her teeth to avoid crying out, not wanting to cause a scene.

"I though she wasn't due until January," Emma said.

"She's not," Gold said gravely. Emma immediately jumped to action.

"I'll come with you to the hospital. Neal, grab Whale and then get ahold of the rest of the family," she said, but before she could lead Gold and Belle away Neal stopped her.

"Don't you think I should go with them?" Neal asked, frowning.

"If this baby's coming early, we may need a little magic to help it. Besides, I have experience with childbirth," Emma pointed out.

"I'll certainly need magic to get out of these pants," Belle joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere a bit. No one laughed.

"Get Whale to meet us at Gold's car," Emma said.

"It's right up front," Gold said as calmly as possible, but his concern and anxiety still showed.

"Right. I'll meet you at the hospital," Neal said, rushing off to find everyone. His first target was Whale, whom he found dancing with Granny. "Whale we need your help," Neal said desperately as he approached the doctor.

"What happened?" Whale said seriously. He could tell this was no time make jokes just from Neal's voice.

"Belle just went into labor," Neal explained. "They're waiting for you at Gold's car," he finished. Understanding the delicacy of the situation, Whale rushed off without a word.

"What can I do to help?" Granny asked.

"I need to find the rest of the family," Neal said.

"That'll be easier said than done," Granny noted. The room was extremely crowded and the most popular costumes were of Regina and Snow White.

"What's all the commotion about?" Jefferson asked, noticing the tense air.

"Belle's in labor and we need to find the rest of the family," Neal explained impatiently.

"Regina and Hook are in the garden out back, Snow White and Prince Charming are towards the middle of the floor, and Henry's towards the punch with Grace," Jefferson said nonchalantly. He was met with two pairs of disbelieving eyes. "What? I don't have a dance partner so I've been watching everyone," he protested.

"Thank you," Neal said, pleasantly surprised. "All right, I'll get Regina and Killian, Granny, Mary Margaret and David, and Jefferson, Henry. Does that sound good?" Neal asked. The other two nodded and the three went their separate ways. It took Neal a moment to find the garden, but fortunately the couple was still there. "Regina? Killian?" he called tentatively, not really wanting interrupt the deep kiss the two were in. The two instantly pulled apart and blushed.

"Neal," Regina said, surprised and annoyed. Her annoyance quickly shifted to concern when she saw Neal's face. "Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Belle's in labor," Neal explained. "Papa's taking her, Emma, and Whale to the hospital right now and I'm trying to get the rest of the family together," he elaborated.

"Bring everyone here when you find them and I'll take care of the rest," Regina said seriously. Neal nodded and left to help Granny and Jefferson.

"It's a bit early for her to be in labor," Hook noted.

"That's the problem, it's two months too early," Regina said frowning.

"Will she and the babe live?" Hook asked, showing some genuine concern.

"They should, but there may be some complications with the baby. She isn't fully developed yet," Regina explained. "Luckily Emma's with them and she has magic," she said, allowing herself a small sigh of relief.

"Then we have nothing to worry about. She had an extraordinary teacher after all," Hook said with a small smile.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"I came as soon as I heard," Whale said, clearly out of breath.

"Jump in, she's in the back," Emma said, already in the car. Whale had just enough time to close the door before Gold took off. "Breathe. Everything's going to be fine," Emma said calmly, turning around to face Belle and the doctor. Belle took a deep breath before another contraction hit, causing let out a muffled cry.

"Can't you do anything?" Gold snapped, his fingers in a death grip on the steering wheel.

"Right now we just need to get to the hospital," Whale said calmly. "You have a son, haven't you been through this before?" he asked, puzzled.

"I wasn't there when Bae was born," Gold explained calmly. Talking about something else relaxed his slightly.

"Well, you're here this time," Emma said, offering Belle a hand to squeeze.

"You're pretty good at this," Belle noted between contractions.

"I have experience with Henry and I helped Mary Margaret with Ruth," Emma said with a small smile.

"Thank you for coming," Belle said smiling. She squeezed Emma's hand as another contraction hit.

"We're here," Gold said sounding relieved. He pulled into a spot that wasn't even a parking space. "You can give me the ticket later," he said to Emma as he helped her and Whale get Emma out of the car.

"If you two have her I'll get a team together," Whale said, jumping to work. As Gold helped Belle into a wheelchair, Emma magicked her into a hospital gown.

"Your clothes are at home," Emma said, not knowing why it mattered.

"I hate hospitals," Belle muttered as they wheeled her into a room to a waiting Dr. Whale.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"Is this everyone?" Neal asked as he looked at the faces around him. The Charming Clan was here, but Ruby, Granny, Archie, Jefferson, Grace, Leroy, Astrid, and Moe French were with them as well. Neal hadn't been sure about all of them coming, but most of then argued that Belle was a friend they wanted to support. Moe pointed out Belle was his daughter, and with that everything was settled.

"I don't know if I can teleport this many people," Regina admitted.

"What if I help you?" Henry asked. Regina thought for a moment.

"I think we can between the two of us," she said, giving a small smile. Regina took Henry's hands. "Everyone, grab onto one of us," she said. "Now what's next?" Regina gently asked Henry.

"We focus. We imagine where we want to go and why we want to go there. The stronger the reason, the stronger the magic," Henry said, thinking back to his lessons.

"And what is the reason and where are we going?" Regina asked.

"We need to get to the hospital to help Belle," Henry said. Regina's heart swelled with pride. The two magic users began to focus and the next thing they knew they were at the hospital. Henry was breathing heavy, as he wasn't quite used to the effects of using magic yet.

"Good job," Regina said smiling, giving Henry a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks," Henry said grinning as everyone rushed into the hospital.

"We need to find the delivery room," Ruby said to the woman at the front desk.

"You must be here for Mrs. Gold. She's right down the hall, but I'm afraid we can only let family in at the moment," the nurse said apologetically.

"Well, that's about half of us," Neal said seriously.

"All right then, direct family only. Just siblings, parents, and other children," the nurse said.

"I guess that leaves the two of us," Neal said to Moe French. "We'll keep the rest of you posted," he added to the others as he and Moe rushed to the delivery room.

* * *

Delivery Room

"How's she doing?" Neal asked no one in particular as he walked into the delivery room. Emma held one of Belle's hands and Gold held the other.

"She's doing great," Emma said, offering Belle a smile.

"She is, but we're still in for a long night," Whale said.

"Father?" Belle asked when she saw Moe standing there.

"Hi Belle," Moe said tentatively. Belle smiled.

"Thank you," Belle said smiling. Though she said little, her smile said everything she hadn't. Gold and Moe exchanged a pleasant, if tense, smile.

The next morning...

Belle gave birth around 6 am. "She's beautiful," Gold said smiling.

"Our little Roslyn," Belle said, holding the tiny baby in her hand.

"I hate to tear her away from you, but we need to start running tests. She'll need to stay here for a while," Whale said, reluctantly picking up the little girl. "I'm sure she'll be fine but we don't want to take any chances," he said.

"And we thank you for that," Belle said, offering a small smile. She wanted nothing more than to just go home with her newborn, but Roslyn's health came first.

"You did good," Emma said smiling.

"You're a mother now," Neal said grinning.

"I have been for months," Belle reminded her stepson, causing him to chuckle.

"I'm a grandfather," Moe said smiling.

"And I have a daughter younger than my grandson," Gold said chuckling. "You did wonderful," he said, kissing his wife on the forehead.

"I can let your visitors in if you feel up to it," Whale said.

"I'd love that," Belle said smiling.

**We're reaching the end of Halloween! Not too many more left in this series :)**


	7. The End or the Beginning?

**Hello again! This is the final chapter of this series and it's been a blast to write! Here's a quick, fluffy ending!**

* * *

As soon as Whale opened the door, people flooded into the room. "Wow," Whale stammered.

"Did you invite the whole town?!" Emma asked Neal incredulously.

"Granny and Jefferson helped me find everyone so naturally they wanted to come. Jefferson had to bring Grace and Ruby and Archie tagged along because of Whale and Granny. Leroy heard what was going on and wanted to support you so he decided to come and brought Astrid. Moe was over with them and insisted on coming as well. Everyone else is family," Neal explained, hoping he didn't forget anyone.

"You didn't need to invite us in. I know you are exhausted," Mary Margaret said sympathetically. She remembered how hectic it had been when she gave birth to Ruth. Mary Margaret stood alone since David headed home to take care of Ruth.

"Is Roslyn all right?" Regina asked.

"We're running some tests as we speak. Since she's not fully developed we'll need to keep her here for some time, but I feel optimistic," Whale said smiling. "I doubt she plans on leaving right now but we do want to keep an eye on Belle for a few days as well," Whale admitted. "We have a room next to where we're taking care of Roslyn if you'd prefer that one," Whale finished.

"I'd like that," Belle said with a small smile. She wasn't too fond of the idea of staying in the hospital, but knew she would end up doing so for her daughter anyway.

"I'll have to run home to get some of our things," Gold said, reluctant to leave the side of his wife and child.

"I'll grab whatever you need," Neal interjected. "I have a key to the house and I know you'd rather stay here," he pointed out. Gold and Belle smiled.

"Thank you," Gold said sincerely.

"Speaking of thank yous, thank you Emma. You've been a huge help and I really appreciate it," Belle said.

"It was nothing," Emma protested, though she couldn't help but feel flattered. She noticed Hook carrying a sleeping Henry over his shoulder. "What happened to him?" she asked.

"He helped cast a mass teleport spell," Regina explained. "Besides, it's been a long night," she added.

"The lad's a natural with magic," Gold noted, having assisted Regina in teaching Emma and Henry magic. He noticed the ring on Regina's hand that wasn't there before. "I see our deal worked out favorably," he said to Hook with a smile. Hook grinned.

"Indeed it did," Hook admitted. He was met with several confused faces. "We probably should announce our news," he mused.

"We haven't had a chance to with all of the excitement," Regina pointed out. "Killian and I are engaged," she admitted with smile. The announcement was met with congratulations for the lucky couple. "So what was this deal?" Regima asked curiously after the excitement died down.

"A few days before Halloween Killian came by to ask about a ring he saw in the shop. He didn't have much money on him, so I proposed a deal. I would give him the ring if he would allow me to borrow his garb for the ball. He didn't tell me what he needed the ring for, but I had a pretty good idea," Gold said smiling.

"I was wondering how you got your hands on Killian's clothes," Neal said chuckling.

"I'd like to get out of them," Gold said chuckling. Belle was the only person not still dressed for obvious reasons, something everyone just began to notice. Everyone's hair and makeup looked disheveled.

"I'm with Gold on this. Honestly, I don't know how you managed to wear this!" Mary Margaret giggled to Regina.

"Magic of course," Regina said smirking.

"What are we going to do about the costumes? I doubt we'll have the shop open for the next couple of days," Belle said.

"Don't worry about a thing, we'll take care of it," Mary Margaret said. Belle and Gold smiled.

"Well, this certainly hasn't been a normal Halloween," Neal said chuckling.

"Don't you know your family by now? There's no such thing as normal," Emma said smiling.

"That's half the fun," Hook pointed out.

"It certainly is," Regina said smiling.

"All right, I'm going to have to kick you people out. We need to move Belle into her new room because I'm sure she's exhausted," Whale said, jumping back into doctor mode. "I take it you'd like a cot?" he asked Gold as everyone cleared out.

"I would appreciate it," Gold said, giving the doctor a small smile.

"I'll grab some of your things. I'm sure you'd like to get out of those clothes," Neal said chuckling. He gave his father and stepmother a hug. "I'll see you two soon," Neal said, heading out the door. Everyone else made their farewells as well, all eager to get some sleep before life in Storybrooke resumed. By the time Neal returned to the hospital, both Belle and Gold were fast asleep, fingers laced together. He left the bag by Gold's cot and went to see his new sister.

"I'm surprised you're still up," Whale said as Neal walked in the room.

"Same for you," Neal said. "Is this her?" he asked, referring to the tiny babe in front of him.

"Yes. She's doing very well," Whale said smiling.

"Well, hello Roslyn. Welcome to the family," Neal said smiling.

* * *

The End

* * *

**And that's the end! I'd like to thank everyone for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows because they really mean a lot to me! Want more of the Charming family? Well, I'm not done with them yet! I've seen several requests for Easter, New Years, and the Rumbelle wedding, and I am pleased to say I have plans for those and more :)**


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